Name: Alfred Joseph SEDIVI
Rank / Rating: PHOM1-Photographer's Mate First Class
Service #: 640 51 16
DOB: Jun 16, 1915
From: Nashville, TN
Parents: Louis Nicholas and Mary Shulda Sedivi
Went Aboard: 1942
Age When Ship Went Down: 30 years, 1 months, 14 days
Spouse: Hazel Sedivi
Children:
Grandchildren:
Bio Submitted By: Nickie Sedivi Lancaster (Niece)
Date Posted:

Alfred was the eldest son of Louis Nicholas and Mary Shulda Sedivi. He and his 18 month younger brother, Nick L Sedivi (US Marine Corp) grew up around water and boats. Growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, they fished the Cumberland River. They spent their summers visiting their Bohemian (Czechoslovakian) grandparents, Josef and Marie Shulda, fishing and boating in the Fox River in Elgin, Illinois. Alfred was a gifted photographer, printer and portrait artist before World War II. He and his brother had a popular dance band. Alfred played clarinet and Nick played saxophone.

Alfred enlisted in the US Navy right after Pearl Harbor. His skills as a photographer were put in use immediately. He served as official US Navy photographer for the USS Indianapolis from the winter of 1942 and is still aboard ship. Alfred took thousands of pictures of the war in the Pacific for Admiral Spruance and Admiral Nimitz, sending thousands of copies home with the help of his close friend in the mail room, Elmer C Michalson. Alfred not only took pictures aboard ship, but was sent on each island (many times with the marines) to take pictures for the Admirals. He also flew the Indy’s Curtis Scout planes to take reconnaissance photos before and after invasion. One of his shipmates, John Casias, said he was afraid Alfred would fall out of the plane because he leaned so far over the wing to take a picture with his heavy, very large, recon camera. Alf took pictures of every flag raising. Back home, his wife, Hazel and sister-in-law, Elizabeth carefully preserved the photos he shipped home. These pictures were the only thing he left behind besides his gold pocket knife. Even his clarinet was with him on the Indy. He had planned to write his own book after the war with his pictures. Many of his shipmates helped with the labeling and stamping, and even developing of pictures. Kyle C Moore, Nelson Stivendeer, and "Butterfield" also took photos. Friends like Jake Greenwald, John Casias, Charles Sullivan, Harold Schecterle and Sherman Wallace helped Alf in the dark room. Alfred would make multiple copies of pictures he liked and shared with shipmates. Most of the pictures published in book or in TV documentaries on the USS Indianapolis were taken by Alfred, including movie films. Alfred’s "lab" on the ship shows reel after reel of movie films, all but few at the bottom of Leyte Gulf today. Photographers would marvel today at the size of his "enlarger" and the space it took to develop pictures aboard ship. His "lab" was a popular hang-out. Though Alfred was a quiet, small man, he had an enormous sense of humor as anyone who entered his darkroom uninvited would attest. Alfred was called "Pop" by some of his friends because he was considered an "old man" of 30 when the ship was sunk. There were 39 other Tennesseans who lost their lives with Alfred, July 30, 1945, including Lt Commander Kyle C Moore and Lt Commander Earl Henry. Alfred had taken dry dock pictures of the underside of the Indy, we believe, for Earl Henry to complete the model of the ship he was building (also still aboard ship). For whatever reason, and contrary to popular belief, he also knew the atomic bomb was aboard ship-his pictures marked accordingly. He had told his family on his last phone call home that "the Indy is going to end the war and I'll be coming home soon." His last batch of photos were mailed from Tinian three days before the ship was sunk. As his only surviving family member, I have been the caretaker of his collection for over 60 years. When others were copying his pictures we generously gave copies to, it became necessary to copyright the entire collection. These pictures were his work, for which he not only served his country, but also risk his life, and ultimately gave his life. His friend, Jake Greenwald, was helping him develop pictures that fateful night. They took a break and shared an ice cream cone ten minutes before the first torpedo hit. Jake was tired and told Alf he needed some “shut eye.” Alf went back in his lab to develop more pictures, where he remains forever with the work he loved. One footnote: Alfred's collection is so vast, covering every aspect of life aboard ship, on the islands from the air. One group of photos is worth noting...We have been informed that there are few photos of Navy Chaplain performing their duties aboard ship. Perhaps because Alfred was Catholic, he took numerous photos of Father Tom Conway and his duties. These pictures show the seriousness of their task and how much The Almighty played a part of their lives. We hope one day to publish our own book, Preserving Alfred. This would include those men who served the Navy aboard the USS Indianapolis and transferred off, those Lost at Sea and those who survived. "May the souls of the faithfully departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace; and may the perpetual light shine upon them."